Soap holding brush



W.NOVICK 2,408,676.

SOAP HOLDING BRUSH Filed Oct. 6, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR. I U; I aim Nov lgk 1 ATTORNEY- 0a, 1, 194 I w. NOVICK 2,408,676

SOAP HOLDING BRUSH Filed Oct. 6, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet =2 7 'JNVENTOR.

y wil liam, Novick ATTOR/YE Y.

Oct.1, 1946 I WNOVIC --2, 408 ,676

SOAP HOLDING BRUSH I Filed Oct. 6, 1944 Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQR.

NOYICk ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 1, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f Q 2,408,676

SOAP HOLDING BRUSH WilliamNovick, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application October 6, 1944, SeriaI No. 557,389

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a combination soap holder and brush.

More specifically, the present invention proposes the construction of a combination soap holder and brush, characterized by having operating straps which can be quickly removed or attached to the body of the device.

A further object is to provide a device as aforesaid in which the body is provided with acompartment for a cake of soap, one side of the compartment containing a soap-retaining basket of wire construction attached permanently to the body.

Another object is to provide an improved connection for removably securing the operating straps to the body of the device.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the. following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a soap holder and brush constructed in accordancewith this invention, a person being shown diagrammatically using the device.

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of the device.

Fig, 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the body of the device.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of ,a portion of one of the operating straps, viewed from the under side thereof.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the device, the cover being slid to one side of the soap compartment.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal central sectional view of the device, parts being shown in full.

Fig.7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the operating straps of the device.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the soap-retaining basket.

Fig, 10 is enlarged fragmentary inverted plan view of the device.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the basket.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line l2--l2 of Fig. 5. Figs. 13, 14, and 15 are perspective views, showing the assembly of the device.

The combination soap holder and brush, ac-

1- Claim. (Cl; 15,-160) cording to this invention, comprises a body Ill and two operating straps II. .The body is substantially rectangular in shape, tapering at its opposite longitudinal ends somewhat and may be made of plastic or other suitable material. It has a center rectangular compartment l2 adapted 'to receive a cakeof soap l3. Rows of bristles 14 are secured in orifices in one face (the bottom face) of the body over substantially the entire surface thereof surrounding compartment l2. The top face of the body is rounded from the lateral and longitudinal edgestoward the compartment l2, and along the lateral edges of thecomp-artment are two outwardly extending flanges l 5 forming tracks coacting with a cover It adapted to be secured to the body by having bent over lateral edges forming grooves I! which slide over the flanges I 5.

The cover has a central window 18 which exposes the cake of soap so that it may be observed and so that water does not remain in the device when not in use.

At either end of the compartment and inside thereof are formed two curved ledges l9, each of the ledges curving downwardly and in opposite directions. A leaf spring clip 20 is pivotally secured to the high part of each ledge by a screw or similar means. Each spring clip 20 has a tab 2| providing a finger grip. The leaf spring clips may be moved out over the cake of soap so that they engage it and urge it in one direction. The cake of soap is retained in the compartment by a wire basket 22 and the spring clips force the cake of soap against the basket. As the cake wears thin during use, the spring clips follow the cake up, maintaining pressure thereon.

The basket 22 is made of wire coated with plastic 23. It has legs. 24 at its corners which fit tightly in orifices in the body around the compartment so that the basket is firmly secured to the body. The body may be cast about the legs if desired. The basket has sufficient cross wires to retain the soap. The plastic coating makes the surfaces of the wires smooth, thus eliminating any protuberances to touch the body of the bather during use. As is clearly shown in Fig. 7, the basket positions the soap outwardly of the body and about a third of the way along the bristles l4. If desired, the basket may be provided with inwardly extending prongs or spikes 22 on which the soap may be impaled to prevent prong 22 as well as the basket proper 22 is embedded into the bottom surface of the soap l3.

The body, at each of its longitudinal ends in its upper face is provided with an upstanding dove-tail tongue extending crosswise of the body.

Outwardly of the tongue 25 is a flange 26. Inwardly of the tongue 25 is a dove-tail groove 21, the groove 21 having a common side 28 with the tongue 25. Inwardly of the groove 21 is a shoulder 29. The shoulder, groove, tongue and flange are all formed even with or below the top face of the body. A square orifice 30 is formed in the center of the groove 27.

A spring fastener 31 is fastened at each end of the body and each extends longitudinally over the adjacent orifice 30. These spring fasteners 3| are detachable to facilitate cleaning, each spring fastener is secured by a plastic covered' screw 3% to the body Ill. A tongue 32 is formed integrally with the fastener 3| and is normally disposed in the orifice 3b, as will presently appear, but may be withdrawn therefrom when desired against the resistance of the fastener 3|.

Each of the straps H is widened adjac nt the body l0 and is provided with a dove-tail tongue 33 in which is formed a square orifice 34. In-

Wardly of tongue 33 is a dovetail groove 35 having a common side 36 with the tongue 33. Outwardly of the tongue 33 is 'a flange 31. Each strap may be connected to the body I0 by first lifting the adjacent fastener 3l until the tongue 32 is clear of the groove 27 then sliding the wide end of the strap laterally relative to the body with the tongue 33 in line with the groove 21, the groove 35 in line with the tongue 25 and the flange 3'! in line with the shoulder 29. When the orifices 30 and 34 are in line, the fastener may be released, whereupon the tongue 32 will slide through the orifices 34 and 30 (Fig. 6), locking the strap to the body.

Each of the straps l l are imilar, and they may be made of flexible material of any suitable type, such as soft transparent plastic. The wide part containing the tongue and groove may be made of a separate part secured to the rest of the strap or it may be an integral part thereof. A thumb loop 3'8 is secured to the free end of each strap so that the device may be employed as shown in Fig. 1.

The operation-of "the device is as follows: I

A cake of soap is disposed in the body H) by removing the cover It, placing the soapin the compartment I2, moving the spring clips 20 over the cake to hold same tightly against the wire basket, and then replacing the cover. The straps are then seized with the 'pers'ons thu'r'nb's lit) in the loops 3B. The brush is then employed to wash a persons back or other part of his anatomy, the brush being employed wet and the water and motion of the brush causing suds to form on the cake of soap. The suds work into the brush and thus are rubbed against the persons body.

When it is desired to clean the device after use, it is not necessary to remove the soap, but the entire device may be freed of soap suds and dirt by flushing it under a faucet and then hanging it to dry. The open construction of the basket and cover enable all water to flow out of the device, thereby keeping it sanitary.

The tongue and groove connections of the straps to the body, together with the spring retainers 3|, provide means for easily and quickly assembling or disassembling the straps to the body, the straps, when assembled with the body, being firmly held against sliding movements by the tongues 32.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications "coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclairn.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a bath brush, 'a brush body shaped to provicle adjacent its opposite ends laterally extendingundercuts constituting dovetail seats opening at the opposite sides of said brush body and forming on the upper surface of said body at each end a laterally extending dovetail tongue, a plurality of straps of sufficient length to be grasped by the hands of a user in reciprocating the brush across the back of the user, finger loops at the outer ends of said straps, the inner ends of said straps being widened to correspond with the width of said brush body and being undercut laterally to provide dovetail seats and tongues for complementary attachment to the tongues and undercuts respectively of said brush body, the tongues of the straps and the seats of the body portion being bored to provide registering rectangular openings at the ends of said body and strap members when th same are assembled and a yieldable spring clip secured at each end of said body and having a finger portion for engagernent with the bores of said straps and body for releasably attaching the "straps to said body.

WILLIAM NOVICK. 

